THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
May 7, 2025 at 18:25 JST
A worker moves government stockpiled rice out of a warehouse in Saitama Prefecture. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Rice prices at supermarkets around Japan rose for the 17th straight week, despite the release of thousands of tons from the government’s stockpile, according to agriculture ministry statistics released May 7.
The average price for 5 kilograms of rice between April 21 and 27 at around 1,000 supermarkets was 4,233 yen ($30), 12 yen higher than the previous week.
The price was more than double the 2,088 yen average from the same period in 2024.
Although about 210,000 tons of government stockpiled rice had been released through auctions in March, only a small portion has reached supermarket shelves, resulting in the continued high retail price of the staple.
The farm ministry initially believed distribution problems for the released rice would be resolved by late April, but the latest rice prices show that has not occurred.
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